lost in the wind

USAGE SUMMARY

"lost in the wind" is a correct and usable part of a sentence in written English.
You can use it to describe a situation in which something has been left behind and is not retrievable, such as an idea, hope, dream, etc. For example, "Once the storm swept through the town, all her hopes were lost in the wind."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Science

Formal & Business

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

7 human-written examples

Were they lost in the wind?

The New York Times

Some could actually be executed: "Cut a painting up and let it be lost in the wind".

The Guardian

I have grown tired of builders who are nowhere to be found when their pretty littleboxes are lost in the wind and the rain.

The New York Times

His words were often lost in the wind, and he had a nervous habit of rubbing his thumbs across his forefingers, as if they were little violins.

The New York Times - Magazine

In an era when it is agreed that greater boardroom accountability is an important way to make banks behave better, the Lloyds tale is a classic case of responsibility being lost in the wind.

The Guardian - Business

Eq. (5) can be rewritten to: frac{a_{mathrm{f}}}{a_{mathrm{i}}} =frac{m_{1}+m_{2}}{m_{1} + m_{2}-Delta m_{mathrm{wind}}}, (6) where (a_{mathrm{f}}) and (a_{mathrm{i}}) are the semi-major axis of the orbit before and after the wind mass loss, and (Delta m_{mathrm{wind}}) is the amount of matter lost in the wind ((Delta m_{mathrm{wind}}geqslant0)).

Computational Astrophysics and Cosmology

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

53 human-written examples

In the town of Kagbeni, Jen and I visited a Buddhist monastery and got lost in the winding, catacomb-like streets of the old city.

The New York Times - Travel

But I do recall that in Varanasi, the Indian holy city, I once got hopelessly lost in the winding alleyways of the old town.

The Guardian

During the last five days I have seen magical sunsets, got lost in the winding streets and alleys of Stone Town, learnt a few words of Swahili, flown in a six-seater plane over the Indian Ocean and even met Christopher Biggins!

The Guardian - Travel

The history of the daughter in Hot Milk, Sofia, is that she has witnessed how her mother's wishes and hopes for herself have been lost in the winds and storms of a world that is not arranged to her advantage.

The Guardian - Books

The city's real charm can be found by wandering the historic neighbourhoods and getting lost in the winding lanes.

BBC

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "lost in the wind" to evoke a sense of something being irretrievably gone, especially ideas, opportunities, or things that were once promising.

Common error

Avoid using "lost in the wind" when you literally mean something was blown away. This phrase is best used metaphorically for intangible things.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "lost in the wind" primarily functions as an idiomatic expression. Based on Ludwig AI, it conveys a sense of irretrievable disappearance or futility, applicable to abstract concepts like hopes, promises, or opportunities.

Expression frequency: Uncommon

Frequent in

News & Media

50%

Science

29%

Formal & Business

14%

Less common in

Wiki

7%

Encyclopedias

0%

Reference

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

The phrase "lost in the wind" is an idiomatic expression signifying something irretrievably gone or forgotten. As Ludwig AI confirms, it carries a metaphorical weight, suggesting that something has vanished without a trace, making it suitable for describing abstract concepts rather than literal situations. While the phrase is not extremely common, its usage spans across various contexts, including news, science, and formal writing, indicating a neutral register. For alternative expressions, consider options like "vanished without a trace" or "gone with the wind" depending on the desired nuance.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

gone with the wind

A very similar idiom, but perhaps more dramatic and evocative of a specific era.

swept away

Focuses on the force that causes something to disappear, similar to the effect of wind.

vanished without a trace

Emphasizes complete disappearance, lacking the element of dispersal implied by "wind".

dissipated into thin air

Implies a gradual disappearance with no remaining evidence.

gone and forgotten

Highlights the aspect of being forgotten rather than physically lost.

fallen by the wayside

Indicates failure to achieve a goal or maintain progress.

disappeared without a sound

Emphasizes a silent disappearance, lacking the element of force or movement.

faded into oblivion

Stresses the loss of memory and recognition, rather than physical absence.

left behind

Focuses on the act of being abandoned or not included.

become a distant memory

Highlights the aspect of fading from memory over time.

FAQs

How can I use "lost in the wind" in a sentence?

You can use "lost in the wind" to describe something that has disappeared without a trace or been forgotten. For example, "All their promises were "lost in the wind" after the project failed".

What's a similar idiom to "lost in the wind"?

A similar idiom is "gone with the wind", which also implies something is irretrievably lost or has disappeared.

Is it correct to say 'loses in the wind' instead of 'lost in the wind'?

No, "loses in the wind" is grammatically incorrect in this idiomatic expression. The correct form is ""lost in the wind"" which uses the past participle of 'lose'.

Can "lost in the wind" be used in a literal sense?

While ""lost in the wind"" is primarily used metaphorically, it could be used literally if something tangible were actually blown away by the wind and could not be retrieved. However, its strength lies in its metaphorical usage.